I have heard about this before, now it is starting to get some play. This from Redstate.com:
During the 2010 election cycle, Wisconsinites received a revelation: The members of our state’s congressional delegation, we learned, had an “Unwritten Rule.” According to Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R, 5th CD), members of said congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats together, turned out to be colluding by not endorsing candidates of their own party who were running in the districts of opposition incumbents.
Let that information sink in for a moment…
Wisconsin Republicans, such as Paul Ryan (1st CD) and Jim Sensenbrenner, were refusing to endorse Republican candidates running in districts held by Gwen Moore (4th CD), Tammy Baldwin (2nd CD), and other über-lefties—that is, in territory where Republican candidates needed more help, not less, to get elected. Instead, Republican incumbents said, “Sorry. You’re on your own.”
Why…?
Because if Ryan and Sensenbrenner, for example, endorsed Republican candidates in Moore’s and Baldwin’s districts, Moore and Baldwin would endorse Democratic candidates in theirs. Well, now, that would get downright un-neighborly, wouldn’t it…?
So, Wisconsin’s Republican and Democratic legislators work hand in hand to ensure that none of them has to face any stiff or unpleasant competition. Evidently, for Ryan and Sensenbrenner, protecting their own seats in Washington comes first, while standing on principle faithfully to advance a true conservative platform in an election cycle comes a very distant last.
Well I have problems with a “true conservative platform” obviously(especially when a party runs people like Sean Duffy and Paul Ryan), and would argue(and be right) that paul ryan has never stood on principle in his life, but I digress. The point here is if it works one way(Ryan not endorsing say Chad Lee), then it works the other way(Tammy Baldwin not endorsing John Heckenlively). So the progressives from WI should be just as upset about this as the republicans.
I personally understand where the republicans are coming from. I never paid attention to this before but I will in the next election cycle. I would have the same disdain for Moore/Baldwin staying out of the Zerban(or any other candidate)/Ryan race as I do for Pedro Colon endorsing David Prosser(good job on that one by the way Judge Colon).
This made me laugh. I don’t suppose it occurred to the author that Republicans have about as much chance in Moore and Baldwin’s districts as I have of being elected Pope (here’s a hint: I am not Catholic). And likewise for Democrats in Ryan and Sensenbrenner’s districts. Also I would imagine this agreement would make it easier for Baldwin and Moore to do business with Ryan and Sensenbrenner when truly statewide interests need to be advocated in Washington.
Finally, I suspect that most progressives, unlike a great many (but not all) conservatives, understand that our philosophy just doesn’t fly with some folks and isn’t going to completely take over the world anytime soon. “Advance a true conservative platform” from the author you quote here sounds suspiciously like “try to elect conservatives in every single district nationwide.”
While I agree on Moore/Baldwin/Sensenbrenner ….i disagree on Ryan. His district should be there for the taking with a 17% unemployment rate, the loss of all auto jobs and the fact that i believe they voted pretty solidly for President Obama.
I do think they want “conservatives in every district” the sad thing is they equate republicans with conservatives so will take anyone with an R.
The progressive philosophy just doesnt fly, is a topic for another post.